August 2023 | 38th EDITION NEWSLETTER |
|
The Leap to Leader
Harvard Business Review | Adam Bryant | July–August 2023
To succeed as a senior executive, you need more than just special skills and competencies. You need a new mindset.
When Penny Herscher stepped into her first chief executive role, at the tech firm Simplex Solutions, she felt sure she was prepared. After all, she had held marketing, business development, and general manager positions at her previous company, Synopsys, and she was comfortable taking on difficult challenges. Even so, her confidence quickly evaporated. “I had no clue how to be a CEO,” she says. “I kept finding myself in situations where I didn’t feel I had the experience and the tool set to know what to do, and I kept waiting for permission to make decisions.”
|
|
HR’s Latest Disruptive Trend: Goodbye, College Degrees; Hello, Certifications
HR Executive | Dawn Kawamoto | July 21, 2023
Call it the perfect storm rolling across the talent acquisition landscape: Employers are increasingly moving away from requiring job candidates to hold a college degree, as some seek a more diverse candidate pool. It’s a storm that continues to build as HR leaders brace for a disruptive trend that will result in new models for talent assessment, according to a survey released Thursday by Gartner’s software and services advisory firm Capterra. According to Capterra’s survey of 300 U.S. recruiters, 41% said their employers have dropped degree requirements.
|
|
Three Easy Staff Recognition Ideas
The Center for Association Leadership | Tim Badolato | June 27, 2023
Your staff ensures your association runs smoothly, so it’s only fitting that you’d thank them for all their hard work. Here are three simple ways you can show your appreciation.
Your association’s staff are talented, dedicated professionals, and you can retain them with the right recognition efforts. For modern associations, there are many ways to show your staff you appreciate them beyond just saying “thanks” at the end of the day. Plus, going the extra mile doesn’t always mean having to expend extra time and resources either.
|
|
I just wanted to thank you both so much for including me in the IEC and MEC this year. The incredible amount of time and energy you put into the conferences in unbelievable, but the love you have shines through and I think brings a collaborative spirit for everyone to learn and share. So THANK YOU for all you do!
Enjoy the little break before you’re back at this Fall!
MEC Speaker Lindsey K. Niemeier | Head of Strategy TCare
|
|
Innovation Doesn’t Have to Be Disruptive
Harvard Business Review | W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne
May–June 2023
Create new markets for growth without destroying existing companies or jobs. The era of international travel began in the mid-19th century, with the golden age of transatlantic ocean-going. The British company Cunard, a leader in the industry, transported millions of immigrants from Europe to the United States around the turn of the 20th century. By the end of World War II it had emerged as the largest Atlantic passenger line, operating 12 ships to the United States and Canada as it captured the flourishing North Atlantic travel market in the first postwar decade.
|
|
How To Start a Diversity and Inclusion Committee at Work
Power to Fly
A diversity and inclusion committee is an important tool that can aid and accelerate the impact of your Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging initiatives at work. Companies know that diverse teams perform better. That’s why 83% of U.S. companies say they have implemented DEIB initiatives in their organization. Yet 62% of surveyed workers feel their company’s DEIB work is not effective. A diversity and inclusion committee could be the critical missing component. This committee is a group of employees tasked with the oversight and leadership of DEIB within the organization.
|
|
Return-To-Office Mandates Don’t Improve Productivity. Here’s What Does
HR Executive | Kevin Oakes and Mollie Lombardi |July 19, 2023
With approximately three-quarters of organizations today requiring their workforce to be onsite for at least a few days a week, we’ve officially exited the era of flexibility and entered an era of forced hybrid. Most companies don’t like the word “forced,” so they’ve been using softer terms like distributed, agile or blended work.
Whatever it’s being called, the simple fact is these organizations don’t trust the workforce to be fully productive working remotely and believe there are benefits to requiring employees to work in closer proximity to each other, at least some of the time. Three days a week is the most popular mandate, and Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are usually the chosen days (most have given up on Fridays).
|
|
Leveraging the Power of Employee Resource Groups While Mitigating Risk: A Practical Guide
When the pandemic hit, many employees began working remotely. Even now, post-pandemic, many employers have maintained flexible work options for employees. With remote working increasing, many employers are grappling with new ways to create a workplace community that can flourish in the new remote work reality. One strategy is the creation of Employee Resource Groups (“ERGs”).
Prior to the pandemic, about 45% of companies supported ERGs. Since 2020, that number has risen to 80% of companies. Among Fortune 500 companies, that percentage is even higher; 90% of Fortune 500 companies have an ERG. This is particularly notable given that 86% of Generation Z workers expect companies to have ERGs.
|
|
The conference was great and you and your team were awesome hosts. I imagine that you’ll see members of my team every year!!
Garon Holman – Law Enforcement Corrections Officer
|
|
5 Psychological Concepts Every Manager Needs to Know to Bring Out the Best in People
Fast Company | Harrison Monarth | July 28, 2023
Leaders don’t have to be organizational psychologists to inspire and motivate people. Just experiment with these concepts to make work better for all. There is no shortage of well-established psychological concepts and excerpts of studies decoding human nature for the purpose of making work a more inclusive, fair, and rewarding experience.
Although they are delivered to us in bite-size chunks on LinkedIn, Instagram, and countless podcasts by bona-fide cognitive scientists such as Laurie Santos, professor of Psychology at Yale University, organizational psychologist and professor Adam Grant of the Wharton School of Business, and others, are the right people listening?
|
|
5 Ways AI Can Make HR Professionals More Efficient
HR Exchange Network | Francesca Di Meglio | June 15, 2023
Generative artificial intelligence is transforming the workplace, and Human Resources can take advantage of its capabilities to become more efficient. Many in HR are already using this advanced technology to make their work lives easier.
"I hope that HR would view this as an opportunity to routinize and get rid of the work that they don’t have to do," said Bryan Hancock, partner in McKinsey & Co.'s Washington, D.C. office during a podcast on generative AI. "Then for the work that they do have to do, they can use this technology to find a way to get better answers more quickly." In fact, some in HR are already using AI to improve productivity. Count the ways HR is using AI in its everyday work:
|
|
How Leaders Can Make a Lot Happen with Very Little
Fast Company | Alexa Von Tobel | June 29, 2023
A silver lining to building during a downturn is that it creates a certain kind of leader, someone who can unlock success in spite of constraints like a limited budget or a small team working toward a giant goal. Many business leaders today view our economic climate as a challenge. Capital has tightened and the economy is rocky, which impacts businesses of all shapes and sizes, both consumer and B2B. But there’s a silver lining to building during a downturn. It creates a certain kind of leader who has to learn to make a lot happen with very little.
I recently spoke with Julia Hartz, who started Eventbrite in 2008 during the height of the Great Recession. I started LearnVest during the same vintage of companies, so I asked her how being a fellow “recession entrepreneur” has given her an edge: “I think the best companies are built during times of scarcity, because there’s not as much margin for error,” she said. “At the same time, there’s an immense amount of freedom and creativity.”
|
|
Good Headspace Helps Make a Safe Workplace
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s mission is to ensure safe and healthful working conditions for workers. As a regulatory agency, we have historically approached that mission by focusing on physical hazards in workplaces, things you can see and measure. But today's work environment requires a broader approach that includes both traditional occupational safety and health and paying attention to the huge impact of mental health on workers' well-being as well.
|
|
Celebrating and Supporting Our LGBTQI+ Co-Workers
Diversity is an essential component of a successful team. The more skills, experiences and ideas we have to draw from, the more equipped we are to develop creative solutions. America’s diversity has always been one of our greatest strengths, which is why the Department of Labor is proud to support and enforce laws that protect America’s workers in all of our diversity. Diversity, however, has to consider and acknowledge any barriers to full participation and inclusion of all workers. For workers in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex (LGBTQI+) community, such as myself, concerns about harassment, prejudice and discrimination can prevent us from comfortably owning our identities in the workplace. So this Pride Month, we’re taking the opportunity to joyfully celebrate our LGBTQI+ colleagues and all the policies that protect our rights at work.
|
|
E-Verify NextGen will be an exciting new product that modernizes and streamlines the Form I-9 and verification process for employees and employers.
|
|
ICE Updates Form I-9 Requirement Flexibility to Grant Employers More Time to Comply with Requirements
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced today that employers will have 30 days to reach compliance with Form I-9 requirements after the COVID-19 flexibilities sunset on July 31, 2023. These flexibilities were first announced in March 2020 and subsequently extended throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. DHS encourages employers who have been using those temporary flexibilities to plan ahead to ensure that all required physical inspection of identity and employment eligibility documents is completed by Aug. 30, 2023.
|
|
THANK YOU to all 2023 Conference Sponsors!
Sponsor support is integral in continuing the growth, quality & integrity of the continuing education unique to this conference year after year. You are appreciated!
|
|
Without a game plan, you’ll likely forfeit any savings opportunities within your employee benefit plan. Why gamble? Bukaty Companies combines technology, data, consumer engagement tools and good old-fashioned ingenuity to develop a winning hand for our clients. Join us for our invite-only three-part discussion of today’s trending employee benefit strategies.
We’ll have industry experts present to showcase the tools, tips and technology plan sponsors need to control costs and beat the odds.
|
|
Demystifying PBM Practices and Pricing
Presenter: Jon Reid, President, Elk Benefit Strategies
Date: Wednesday, August 23
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
|
|
Health Interventions: The Missing Link
Presenter: Steve Halleen, Vice President, Virgin Pulse
Date: Wednesday, September 20
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
|
|
The conference was a huge success! Two full days of learning, networking and tons of laughs. |
|
|
|
Nan Boland & Sue Kmet - the forces behind the best conference of its kind in Missouri!
|
|
Had a phenomenal time at the Missouri Employment Conference! I appreciate all the love!
MEC Speaker Reggie Harris
|
|
Everyone was super easy to work with. It was a well put together event and you guys knocked it out of the park!
MEC Vendor William Holtz | Multimedia Broadcast Journalist at Lake TV
|
|
The MEC article library is growing monthly with valuable information relevant to the ever-changing work environment. Check the website frequently for updates. If you have something important for our readers to benefit from, reach out to us to be included in the next newsletter or article library! |
|
|
STRONG MINDS | STRONG HEARTS |
|
Lake of the Ozarks
Stop Human Trafficking Coalition
The number of reported human trafficking cases grows year by year.
Missouri is no exception.
|
|
We are ready to hear from you. Whether you are reaching out for help, requesting us for a speaking event, or would like more information on joining this fight, please include in your message what you are inquiring about or email us directly with any questions. |
|
|
From 1901 to today, the Missouri State Fair has been a barometer of the state’s economic health & a documentary of the history of Missouri agriculture. The Missouri State Fair plays an essential role in keeping agriculture one of Missouri’s top industries.
|
|
40 Iconic State Fair Food Recipes to Make at Home
Southern Living | Kaitlyn Yarborough | June 2023
PHOTO: ALISON MIKSCH
Let's be real—Southerners don't go to the state fair, or even the county fair, just to win a stuffed monkey at the ring toss or get seasick on the Tilt-A-Whirl. We go for the iconic fair foods. Each one is gloriously deep-fried and full of flavor, whether a sweet dessert (hello, fried Oreos), a salty snack (say no more, fried macaroni and cheese), or something else entirely. Dill pickle chips, green tomatoes, and apple cider doughnuts get the excitement going way more than any amusement ride.
|
|
HELP AN HR HERO WIN A $50 VISA GIFT CARD!
Do you know someone in your HR department (or company-wide) who deserves to be recognized for making a positive impact in your company from day to day??
Whether personal or professional, in a big or a small way, we all know those people who go above & beyond for the greater good.
We want to help these everyday (H)eroes be (R)ecognized! Send your nominations to us & one deserving person each month leading up to the current conference will be selected to receive a $50 VISA gift card! We will announce the winner in the following month's newsletters.
|
|
As we continue on through the dog days of summer, we can't help but feel excited for all of the adventures it holds. From watching gorgeous sunsets to admiring fields of sunflowers, the season is filled with beauty and joy.
We invite you to join us in making the last days of summer into fall full of adventure, learning, and igniting change. Our 2024 Spring Conference will bring together thought leaders, innovators, and change-makers to explore the latest trends and ideas in the workplace. You'll have the opportunity to network with like-minded individuals, attend inspiring round table discussions and sessions, and learn about the latest tools and technologies that are transforming the workforce as we know it.
So mark your calendars for May 1st - 2nd and get ready for an unforgettable conference. Let's soak up the beauty of the current season and ignite change together. We can't wait to connect with you over the next several months, please reach out and let us or our sponsors know how we can help!
Nan, Sue and the Conference Crew
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
